Osteospermum plant named &#39;Oste Yel&#39;

ABSTRACT

An  Osteospermum  cultivar particularly distinguished by large, deep-yellow inflorescences with brown eyes, green foliage with incised leaves, an upright and medium-sized plant habit, inflorescences that are induced at higher temperatures, continuous flowering throughout the Summer, good heat tolerance, vigorous growth, excellent rooting characteristics and a good shipping ability, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Osteospermum ecklonis Norl.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Oste Yel’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis Norl., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Oste Yel’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in the Summer of 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was the proprietary ‘OX-7-1’ (unpatented) Osteospermum plant, having yellow inflorescences, while the male parent was the proprietary ‘OZ-185-1’ (unpatented) Osteospermum plant, having lemon-colored inflorescences.

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands, and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Andijk, The Netherlands, Gilroy, Calif. and Hillscheid, Germany over a three-year period. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied for in Canada on Mar. 31, 2005 and with the European Union on Dec. 20, 2004.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Andijk, The Netherlands and Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Large, deep yellow inflorescences with brown eyes;     -   2. Green foliage with incised leaves;     -   3. Vigorous growth     -   4. An upright plant and medium-sized plant habit;     -   5. Inflorescences that are induced at higher temperatures (so         that a cool cultivation period is not necessary);     -   6. Continuous flowering throughout the Summer (in contrast to         older varieties that do not develop inflorescences in the         mid-Summer);     -   7. Good heat tolerance;     -   8. Excellent rooting characteristics; and     -   9. Good shipping ability.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show overall plant habit including inflorescences, buds, and foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photos are of a 12-14-week-old plant grown in a 12-cm pot in a greenhouse in Spring 2005.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds, mature foliage, and plant habit.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescences.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Oste Yel’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Hillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 10-week-old, un-pinched plants grown in 12-cm pots in a greenhouse during late Summer. The color readings were determined under natural light in mid-May from flowers grown in a greenhouse. Color references are to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S) (2001).

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Asteraceae.         -   Botanical name.—Osteospermum ecklonis Norl.         -   Common name.—African daisy. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary ‘OX-7-1’ (unpatented)             Osteospermum plant having yellow inflorescences.         -   Male parent.—The proprietary ‘OZ-185-1’ (unpatented)             Osteospermum plant having lemon-colored inflorescences. -   Plant:     -   -   Form and habit.—Herbaceous perennial but usually cultivated             as an annual.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Fairly vigorous, upright,             un-pinched plants develop none to few basal branches;             pinching plants once or twice enhances flowering.         -   Height (from top of soil, including inflorescence).—36 cm.         -   Width (including inflorescences).—22 cm.         -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—13 to 15 weeks             for a 12-cm pot in the Spring.         -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use as bedding plants or in             mixed-container plantings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 24 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, freely branching. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Simple and alternate.         -   Shape.—Relatively small, oak-leaf-shaped but with more             pointed lobes.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Acute or attenuate.         -   Margin.—Incised with strong lobes.         -   Texture.—Leathery.         -   Immature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137D Lower surface:             RHS 143A.         -   Mature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137B (deep-green)             Lower surface: Between RHS 137D and RHS 143A Length: Up to             5.0 cm Width: 2.6 cm.         -   Petioles.—Length: 1.5 cm to 2.0 cm Diameter: 0.3 cm to 0.4             cm Color (both sides): RHS 145B Texture: Short, weak             pubescence. -   Stems:     -   -   Total number of branches.—5 to 8.         -   Length.—28 cm to 32 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Internode length.—1.5 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 146D (green), partly RHS 178A (reddish-brown)             with anthocyanin when outdoors.         -   Texture.—Sparse hair. -   Inflorescence buds:     -   -   Shape.—Initially round; elongate with the development of the             ray florets.         -   Diameter (horizontal).—1.2 cm.         -   Height.—1.8 cm.         -   Color (at tight bud just before the ray florets unfold).—RHS             166D (brown) and RHS 12B (yellow). -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—A capitulum or composite-type; solitary inflorescences             are borne terminally above the foliage.         -   Blooming habit.—Continuously flowers from Spring through             Fall.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—5.         -   Lastingness of the inflorescences on the plant.—About 14             days.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—9.0 cm to 9.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth.—About 2.0 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—1.8 cm. -   Disc floret:     -   -   Quantity per inflorescence.—50.         -   Shape.—Tube-shaped, while the upper end is 5-lobed.         -   Tube color (closed).—RHS 143C (greenish).         -   Tube color (mature).—RHS N155B (whitish).         -   Length.—0.4 cm.         -   Diameter (at apex).—0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Apex color.—RHS 11B (pale-yellow).         -   Base.—Tube-shaped, narrow.         -   Margin.—Entire. -   Ray floret:     -   -   Quantity per inflorescence.—18 to 22.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Color.—Upper surface: From RHS 12A (golden-yellow) near the             base, to RHS 13A for the main part Lower surface: RHS 13B             (yellow), with a central stripe of RHS 166B (brown-orange).         -   Length.—4.3 cm.         -   Width.—1.1 cm.         -   Apex.—Rounded to obtuse.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—With parallel veins, appears somewhat rippled             lengthwise; white hair (pappus) at the base.         -   Peduncle.—Length: About 5.0 cm Diameter: 0.3 cm, furrowed or             grooved near the inflorescence base Texture: Short, coarse             pubescence Color: RHS 143B. -   Phyllaries:     -   -   Arrangement.—In a whorl, partly adhere to the bases of the             ray florets.         -   Observed quantity per plant.—15 to 18, with an average             number of 15.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137D (green) Lower surface: RHS             137D (green).         -   Length.—0.6 cm to 1.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.1 cm to 0.3 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Location: Present on disc florets only (stick             out from the relatively indistinct disc florets and let the             mature disc appear mainly brown) Stamen quantity: One per             floret Stamen shape: Tube-shaped, cylindrical Filament             color: RHS 155A (whitish), upper part RHS N186C Anther             color: RHS N186C (deep purple-brown) Stamen length: 0.4 cm             to 0.5 cm Pollen color: RHS 17A (orange) Pollen amount:             Abundant.         -   Gynoecium.—Location: Present on ray florets only Number: One             per floret Pistil length: 0.6 cm Stigma color: RHS 178B             (reddish-brown) Stigma shape: 2-lobed Style color: RHS 8A             (yellow) Style length: 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm Style shape:             Filiform (filament-like) with the lobes of the stigma             slanting upright (bifrcate). -   Fruit and seed set: Seed set observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: Average/typical of the species; no     special observations made.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Oste Yel’ differs from the female parent ‘OX-7-1’ (unpatented) in that ‘Oste Yel’ has inflorescences on shorter peduncles so that ‘Oste Yel’ has a more compact plant habit than ‘OX-7-1’. In addition, ‘Oste Yel’ has an earlier flowering response than ‘OX-7-1’.

‘Oste Yel’ differs from the male parent ‘OZ-185-1’ (unpatented) in that ‘Oste Yel’ has larger, deeper-yellow inflorescences and thinner leaves than ‘OZ-185-1’.

‘Oste Yel’ differs from commercial cultivar ‘Kakegawa AU6’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,781) in that ‘Oste Yel’ has larger, deeper-yellow inflorescences than ‘Kakegawa AU6’. ‘Oste Yel’ has deep-green leaves with strong lobes, while ‘Kakegawa AU6’ has longer and narrower leaves that are greyish-green with shallow lobes. In addition, ‘Oste Yel’ has a narrower plant habit with shorter stems than ‘Kakegawa AU6’.

‘Oste Yel’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Sunny Alex’ (unpatented) in that ‘Oste Yel’ has darker green foliage, an earlier flowering response and a more compact plant habit than ‘Sunny Alex’. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant as shown and described herein. 